Lyrics

(Eric Taylor) Blue Ruby Music/Universal Songs, Inc./BMI

Charlie Rich plays and sings, a beautiful woman dances, somebody gets shot and Eric Taylor tells me it’s pretty much a true story. I can’t resist. Eric is among the best songwriters in the world. He was a big part of the 1970s’ Houston scene that included Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he invented a way of playing the guitar that has been put to good use by Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett and others, and he writes with an emotional literacy that is off the charts. This was the last song recorded for the album. It features an all music journalist rhythm section. Bass man Jason Moon Wilkins and drummer Nicole Keiper could hardly play, they were so busy critiquing everyone else’s performance. Kidding there, I am. Please check out Jen Gunderman’s big piano chords, and Lloyd Green’s spacey, “how-on-earth-did-he-do-that?” steel solo.

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I saw Charlie Rich singin’ at the Continental Ballroom
He let the whiskey do what whiskey does the best
Here’s a song about Kentucky with a big, bright blue moon
Put a little somethin’ in my glass
Can you put a little somethin’ in my glass?

With a song like that you make it all the way to heaven
Pearly gates open when the doorbell rings
When you can sing like that, all can be forgiven
I’m hearin’ ol’ Charlie Rich sing tonight
I’m goin’ to hear ol’ Charlie Rich sing

I saw a girl from north of Houston, looked just like you do
Movin’ through another Friday night
She was dancin’ with her husband, but she did not want to
She had a little somethin’ in her eyes
She might have had a little somethin’ in her eyes

When you look like that you make it all the way to heaven
Pearly gates open when the doorbell rings
Eyes like that, man, all can be forgiven
I’m hearin’ ol’ Charlie Rich sing tonight
I’m goin’ to hear ol’ Charlie Rich sing

I saw the bartender talkin’ to this uptown fella
Uptown fella with the alligator shoes
Must have been one of those things,
One thing leads to another
The bartender stepped aside and started shootin’
He pulled somethin’ from his pants and started shootin’

With a gun that you make it all the way to heaven
Pearly gates open when the doorbell rings
You get shot like that, all can be forgiven
I’m hearin’ ol’ Charlie Rich sing tonight
I’m goin’ to hear ol’ Charlie Rich sing

I said a great good evenin’ to the Continental Ballroom
I made it all the way home before it hit me
Can’t help thinkin’ I might have left too soon
Those alligator shoes could’ve fit me
I think those alligator shoes might’ve fit

On a night like that you make it all the way to heaven
Pearly gates open when the doorbell rings
Just like that, all can be forgiven
I’m hearin’ ol’ Charlie Rich sing tonight
I’m hearin’ ol’ Charlie Rich sing